GIFT  OF 


No.  1803 


INSTRUCTIONS  FOR  USING 
AND  REPAIRING 

HYDRAULIC  JACKS 


APRIL  28,  1904 
REVISED  SEPTEMBER  19,  1907 


WASHINGTON 
GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE 

1917 


• 


No.  1803 


INSTRUCTIONS  FOR  USING 
AND  REPAIRING 

HYDRAULIC  JACKS 


APRIL  28,  1904 
REVISED  SEPTEMBER  19,  1907 


JV.S, 


WASHINGTON 
GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE 

1917 


WAR  DEPARTMENT, 
OFFICE  OF  THE  CHIEF  OF  ORDNANCE, 

Washington,  May  3,  1913. 

This  manual  is  published  for  the  information  and  government  of  the  Regular 
Army  and  Organized  Militia  of  the  United  States. 
By  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War : 

R.   BlRNIE, 

Colonel,  Ordnance  Department, 

Acting  Chief  of  Ordnance. 
10034—17 

(3) 


3G5256 


LATEST  IMPROVED  HYDRAULIC  JACKS. 


BASE     JACKS. 

INSTRUCTIONS  FOR  USING. 

Fill  the  jack,  when  the  ram  is  quite  down,  through  the  screw  hole 
in  the  head,  within  half  an  inch  of  the  top,  with  alcohol,  1  part,  and 
water,  2  parts. 

Never  fill  with  water,  kerosene,  or  wood  alcohol.  Water  is  dan- 
gerous on  account  of  its  liability  to  freeze  and  to  rust  the  jack  when 
not  in  use.  Kerosene  destroys  the  packings,  and  wood  alcohol  both 
destroys  the  packings  and  corrodes  the  metal  surfaces. 

Heavy  oils  and  glycerin  soften  the  packings  and  gum  and  clog  the 
valve  ports. 

The  screw  in  the  head  is  not  intended  to  fit  tightly,  as  an  air  pas- 
sage is  cut  in  it. 

Be  careful  that  no  dirt  gets  into  the  head  in  filling. 

Occasionally  clean  it  out  and  refill  it,  as  the  fluid  becomes  thick 
and  the  jack  will  not  work  well. 

Always  keep  the  ram  quite  down  when  not  in  use. 

In  using,  place  the  head  (or,  if  a  ground-lifting  jack,  the  claw  or 
head,  under  the  weight  to  be  raised.  Put  in  the  lever  with  the  pro- 
jection downward.  Work  it  until  the  weight  is  at  the  required 
height,  or  the  number  of  inches  the  jack  runs  out.  Sometimes  it  hap- 
pens that  another  stroke  of  the  lever  will  raise  the  weight  too  high ; 
then  raise  the  lever  and  push  it  down  slowly,  by  which  a  stroke  will 
be  missed. 

To  lower  the  weight,  push  the  lever  to  the  bottom  of  the  stroke, 
take  it  out,  turn  it  with  the  projection  upward,  and,  with  a  slight 
pressure  of  the  hand,  the  weight  will  be  lowered  as  slowly  as  required 
or  stopped  at  any  point. 

Do  not  push  the  lever  down  quickly,  but  slowly,  tapping  it  a  little 
with  the  hand. 

If  the  valve  should  stick  on  its  seat  (in  which  case  the  jack  will  not 
work),  strike  the  lever  a  few  sharp  blows  up  and  down,  jarring  the 
valve  and  removing  the  difficulty. 

(5) 


These  jiicks  may  be  used  standing  or  at  any  angle,  but  the  head 
must  be  a  little  higher  than  the  foot,  so  that  the  pump  be  always  sub- 
merged. 

These  jacks  are  designed  to  raise  a  load  of  their  rated  capacity 
with  but  one  man  at  the  lever,  and  it  is  intended  that  the  lever  should 
bend  or  break  when  more  than  150  pounds  are  applied. 

They  should  rest  fair  on  the  bottom  and  top  in  lifting  or  pressing 
(especially  those  which  raise  more  than  10  tons) ,  and  should  not  be 
lowered  rapidly  or  suddenly  checked  under  a  load. 

They  should  be  pumped  up  and  run  down  at  least  once  a  week  when 
not  in  use  to  keep  the  packings  in  good  order. 

HORIZONTAL   OR   LOW   JACK. 

INSTRUCTIONS  FOR  USING. 

Fill  the  jack  through  the  screw  hole  in  top  of  reservoir  with  whisky 
or  alcohol  and  water,  not  wood  alcohol,  equal  parts,  with  a  table- 
spoonful  of  sperm  oil,  having  the  ram  all  the  way  down;  fill  the 
reservoir  within  1  inch  of  the  top  and  replace  the  screw,  which  is  not 
intended  to  fit  tight.  Never  fill  them  with  water  or  kerosene.  Occa- 
sionally clean  them  out  and  refill  them,  as  the  stuff  gets  thick  and  the 
jack  will  not  work  well.  Always  keep  the  ram  quite  down  when  not 
in  use. 

Be  careful  that  no  dirt  gets  into  the  reservoir  in  filling.  Place  the 
head  (or,  if  a  ground-lifting  jack,  the  claw  or  head)  under  the  weight 
to  be  raised.  Put  in  the  lever,  on  which  there  is  a  projection  down- 
ward ;  work  it  until  the  weight  is  at  the  required  height  or  the  num- 
ber of  inches  the  jack  runs  out.  Sometimes  it  happens  that  another 
stroke  of  the  lever  would  raise  the  weight  too  high;  then  raise  the 
lever  a  little  and  push  it  down  slowly,  by  which  a  stroke  will  be 
missed.  To  raise  the  weight,  screw  the  release  valve  tight  on  its  seat 
with  the  handle  provided.  To  lower,  unscrew  the  same;  two  full 
turns  are  sufficient  to  lower  as  fast  as  required ;  it  can  be  lowered  fast 
or  slow  by  unscrewing  the  valve  from  its  seat  any  distance  up  to  two 
turns,  and  can  be  checked  by  screwing  it  back  to  its  seat. 

In  case  of  the  pump  valve  sticking  on  its  seat  (in  which  case  the 
jack  will  not  work),  strike  the  lever  a  few  sharp  blows  up  and  down 
with  a  stick  of  wood,  which  will  jar  the  valve  and  remove  the  diffi- 
culty. 

These  jacks  may  be  used  equally  well  in  a  horizontal  or  upright 
position. 

In  using  them  for  any  purpose,  one  man  of  ordinary  strength  can 
apply  all  the  force  on  the  lever  that  it  is  designed  to  stand ;  and  it  is 
intended  that  the  lever  should  bend  or  break  when  more  than  150 
pounds  are  applied. 


They  should  rest  fair  on  the  bottom  or  top  in  pressing,  especially 
those  which  raise  more  than  10  tons,  and  should  not  be  lowered  fast 
or  suddenly  checked  with  a  heavy  weight  on  them. 

INSTRUCTIONS    FOR   REPAIRING   JACKS. 

Trouble  with  hydraulic  jacks  is  most  frequently  caused  by  rust  or 
by  foreign  substances  within  the  jack,  and  good  care  is  essential  in 
keeping  a  jack  in  order.  Without  this,  it  is  useless  to  expect  it  to  give 
satisfaction.  Rust  and  sand  or  grit  will  soon  injure  the  valves,  pack- 
ings, and  polished  surfaces  of  the  cylinder  and  pump,  as  these  are  the 
vulnerable  parts  of  all  hydraulic  appliances. 

The  packings  and  the  valves  are  very  simple,  and  the  following 
directions  will  give  all  the  information  necessary  to  keep  them  in 
crder:  If  the  filling  flows  over  the  top  of  the  cylinder  or  through  the 
cylinder  vent,  the  ram  packing  leaks.  Remove  the  ram  from  the 
cylinder,  and,  if  the  packing  is  only  worn,  place  a  strip  of  very  thin 
tin  under  it.  If  it  is  broken  or  torn,  unscrew  the  packing  rings,  put 
on  a  new  packing,  and  replace  the  rings.  If  the  packing  is  too  large, 
or  if  the  ram  does  not  run  down  easily,  take  off  a  very  little  from  the 
outside  of  the  packing  with  a  clean  file  or  rasp.  Be  careful  not  to 
take  off  too  much,  for  a  new  packing  must  be  reasonably  tight,  as  it 
will  soon  wear  smooth.  Fit  a  new  packing  tight  enough  to  require 
the  weight  of  two  men  to  force  down  the  ram,  and  if  the  packing  is 
made  too  slack  it  will  soon  leak.  The  bottom  packing  seldom  gives 
trouble  and  should  last  for  years.  If,  however,  it  becomes  necessary 
to  renew  it,  it  should  be  done  by  driving  it  from  the  upper  end  of  the 
cylinder  to  the  bottom. 

If  the  piston  packing  becomes  worn,  unscrew  the  head,  draw  out 
the  piston,  renew  the  packings,  and  file  off  the  edges  to  fit  the  pump. 

To  remove  the  piston  of  the  horizontal  jack,  unscrew  the  cap,  turn 
back  the  socket  until  the  arm  is  disengaged,  and  draw  out  the  piston. 

If  the  valves  or  vale  seat  become  worn  or  scratched,  unscrew  the 
valve  bonnets  and  regrind  the  valves  with  oil  and  a  very  little  flour  of 
emery.  Be  careful  not  to  grind  the  valves  too  much,  and  to  wash  the 
valves  and  seat  perfectly  free  from  emery  before  replacing  valves. 

The  piston  valve  of  the  horizontal  jack  is  reached  by  removing  the 
piston,  as  before  described,  and  the  pump  valve  by  unscrewing  the 
pump-valve  bonnet  in  the  bottom  of  the  cistern. 

If  the  ram  does  not  rise  when  pumping,  examine  the  piston  valve ; 
if  the  lever  rises  when  the  hand  is  removed,  examine  the  pump  valve. 
Should  the  filling  leak  out  around  the  socket,  in  the  Watson- Stillman 
jack,  tighten  the  gland  a  little.  If  the  packing  is  worn  out  unscrew 
the  set  screw  at  the  back  of  the  head  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch,  then 
withdraw  the  socket  not  over  an  inch,  unscrew  the  gland  and  put  in  a 


8 

new  packing  of  well-oiled  braided  lamp  wick,  and  put  the  socket  all 
the  way  back  to  the  head  and  screw  up  the  set  screw. 

Should  the  filling  leak  out  around  the  socket  in  the  Dudgeon  jack, 
the  socket  should  be  withdrawn  and  the  packing  renewed. 

Parts  of  jacks '-can  be  supplied  at  short  notice.  When  ordering, 
always  refer  to  parts  by  names  given  on  the  sectional  cuts  of  jacks, 
and  state  size  and  style  of  jack,  length  of  run  out,  and  manufacturer. 

Sectional  views  of  jacks  are  given,  showing  the  construction  and  the 
names  of  all  parts. 

SPARE  PARTS  FOR  JACKS. 

In  ordering  parts  of  jacks,  always  refer  to  Plates  I?  II,  and  III,  and 
use  the  names  given  thereon,  and  state  kind,  size  (10, 15,  20  ton,  etc.), 
length  of  run  out  of  jack  for  which  the  parts  are  intended,  and  man- 
ufacturer, as  Dudgeon  or  Watson-Stillman. 

Form  No.  1803. 
April  28,  1904. 
Revised  Sept.  19,  1907. 
Ed.  Aug.  24-17 — 1,000. 


P/STO*  VALVE:. 
•BACK  FLOW  PASSAGES. 

PAtKINO. 


Plate    I.-BASE   JACK  (DUDGEON). 

(0) 


CYLINOZ* 


CAP 


{OOTTCOt 
HAM    PACKING 

ft  AM  PACKING  K/NC- 
ACK  I 

HUT 

BOTTOM  PACKING-* 
BOTTOM  P'C'fCt  HM6 
PUMP  SMAU 


SOCKET 
—\~\-KNUCKLE 


PISTON 
-PUMP  HUT 

PISTOH  VALVe. 
-PISTON  PACKING 
PISTON  BACKING 
RING 

PISTON  VALVE 

BONNKT 

'"PUMP 

PUMP    VALVt 
Pi  V.  SPft/MG 

BOHNCT 


Plate  II.— HORIZONTAL  JACK  (DUDGEON). 


(10) 


SCOT/OH  TH/fMW  A-0-C-0 

LOW  ffMWU/UC  JACK 

PLATE  IH. 

.  o 

(11) 


I^BBB 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 
LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


''-: 


fc      r, 


REC'D  LD 


MAR  1 3  1959 


REC'D  LD 

JAN  4    1962 


SENT  ON  ILL 

AU6  3  1  199** 

U.  C.  BERKELEY 


LD  21A-50m-9,'58 
(6889slO)476B 


General  Library 

University  of  California 

Berkeley 


"     ''I. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


